Disposable t-binder



Filed April 2.

INVENTORV Mmme E.TEAG-UE W qr AT FORM EYS United States Patent 2,891,545 DISPOSABLE T-BINDER Minnie E. Teague, Colorado Springs, Colo. Application April 2, 1957, Serial No. 650,178 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-291) The present invention relates generally to obstetrical belts or abdominal binders, commonly known as T- binders. A T-binder is generally used in hospitals, in the maternity floors, and has as its purpose holding sanitary napkins in place during the immediate postnatal period.

An ordinary belt for holding a sanitary napkin is not usable in a situation of the type referred to above, for various reasons, including the necessity for frequent replacement of sanitary napkins, during the post-natal period, and including, further, the necessity for maintenance of the sanitary napkin in position loosely upon the body, so as not to provide any restriction, discomfort, or other undesirable pressure that should definitely be avoided during the period specified.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved T-binder, that will be completely disposable. Heretofore, T-binders or obstetrical belts that have been in use have not been disposable, and further, have been difficult to fit properly to patients of different size.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a cheap, readily disposable-sanitary napkin support belt for particular use in the situations described above, which belt will be capable of manufacture at a very low cost, and can be readily formed from lengths of material such as to be easily adjusted to the size of the particular patient, without requirement of manufacture of the device in any more than a comparatively few sizes.

Another object is to provide a T-binder of the character described that will be capable of being discarded whenever it becomes soiled, even after a single use, without involving the expenditure of a substantial cost. Heretofore, T-binders have been made of a fabric and have required that they be laundered until worn out. Further, the T -binder in conventional use has had stitching applied thereto, which of course involves a substantial expense insofar as connection of the component parts of the article is concerned.

Another object is to provide a T-binder of the character stated which not only will make use of inexpensive materials, but also will be designed to permit connection of different components of the belt at low cost, by adhesive rather than by stitching.

Still another object is to provide a T-binder that will be characterized by the ease with which it may be placed upon or removed from the patient, even in instances in which the patient is almost fully immobilized.

Other objects are to provide a T-binder which will be fully comfortable when worn; will be adapted to retain a sanitary napkin in place without danger of slippage of the napkin out of its proper position; will involve a minimum number of connections of the different components of the belt to each other; will be adapted to permit cutting off of the ends of said components as needed, or folding of the components; will be designed so as to eliminate tabs that require special cutting and stitching;

2,891,545 Patented June 23, 1959 'ice will be formed simply from two straight, cheap pieces of material fastened only at one location; will be designed for mass production with comparatively a small amount of mechanical equipment; will be free of direct connections to the sanitary napkin, so as not to require that the napkins be incorporated in the device; will be designed to withstand pressures brought to bear upon the device both when it is packed for shipment, and when it is in use; will be highly compact so as to permit shipment of a large number of the articles in a relatively small package; will be strong despite its comparatively low cost; and will use a minimum amount of material.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claim appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a T-binder according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the means of connecting the two parts of the binder together;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the front portion of the T-binder; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the T-binder in open position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the T-binder con stituting the present invention includes a waist band 10. This is formed from a cheap, soft, pliable material, such as a very inexpensive, coarse mesh, thin gauze. The waist band 10 is straight from end to end as shown in Figure 4, and as shown in Figure 2 is folded upon itself longitudinally and centrally of the waist band.

Waist band 10, at its opposite ends, has end portions 12, 14 folded along lines extending transversely of the waist band, so that the waist band is of double thickness at its respective ends. It will be understood that the end portion 12, 14 can be folded at any locations desired along the length of the waist band. In this way, the overall length of the waist band can be adjusted as desired. In a commercial embodiment, it is expected that the waist band would be made only in perhaps two sizes, and for example, in one size could measure 50 inches in length, and in another size, for medium and small sizes, could be 44 inches in length.

A crotch band 16 is formed of the same material as the waist band 10. It is also straight from end to end, but as distinguished from the waist band, is not folded upon itself. The crotch band, in a preferred embodiment, is twice the width of the waist band, that is, originally, the crotch and waist bands are of the same width, but the waist band, being folded upon itself longitudinally, is reduced, in its final form, to half the width of the crotch band.

In any event, the crotch band 16 at one end is disposed in the space between the longitudinally extending, folded portions of waist band 10, as shown in Figure 2. The crotch band doese not extend fully into engagement with the fold line or top edge of the waist band, but extends only partially across the width of the waist band, and is there glued in place between the respective folds of the waist band.

The crotch band 16, at its other end, may be folded upon itself as at 17, although this is not absolutely essential. It is preferred, however, that it be folded as shown in Figures 3 and 4, so that there will be a particularly strong construction of the crotch band, at the location at which it is to be secured to the front of the waist band.

Designated at 20 is a small safety pin, which is employed when the belt is to be applied to the person. Originally, the device appears as in Figure 4, and in applying the same, is first placed under the patient, that is, at the back of the patient in the T-shaped form shown in Figure 4. Then, the end portions 12, 14 are brought upwardly and are disposed in overlapping relation at the front of the waist or abdomen. The safety pin 28, which extends vertically, is then extended through the folded portions 12, 1 to connect the same together.

Then, with the sanitary napkin, not shown, in place upon the crotch band, the crotch band is brought between the legs of the wearer and the free end thereof is disposed in overlying relation to the connected portions 12, 14 of the waist hand. Then, a safety pin 22. extends horizontally, through the folded portion 17 of the crotch band, and through the superposed folded portions 12, 14 of the waist band. In this way, the device is connected in place about the waist of the wearer, and will hold the sanitary napkin 'in position, while still providing maximum comfort for the wearer and a complete lack of constriction or pressure tending to adversely affect either the uterine discharge that takes place during the immediate post-natal period, or the uterine contraction that is also to occur at this time.

As will be seen, the device is completely disposable, and can be discarded when it becomes soiled, rather than laundered. in this way, a cheap, fully disposable sanitary napkin holder for use in maternity wards, during the immediate post-natal period, is provided, providing a desirable hospital accessory that eliminates a problem which is of continuing seriousness in all hospitals, namely, the excessive cost of laundering serv ices.

A further advantage in the invention resides in the fact that the particular materials used, and the particular manner in which they are connected, permits manufacture of the device by mass production methods, at a vry low cost, through the use of machinery already available. Further, the device can be readily adjusted as to size, with the free ends of the waist band and crotch band being capable of being cut, folded, etc. as desired, thereby permitting the device to be manufactured in only one or two sizes for all patients.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An obstetrical belt for use during the immediate postnatai period, comprising a one-piece, elongated waist band formed of a coarse mesh, cheap, thin gauze material, said waist band being straight from end to end and being folded upon itself longitudinally and centrally of the waist band, whereby to impart to the band a double nness, with said thicknesses being integrally connected aiong one longitudinal edge of the folded waist band and being separated along the opposite longitudinal edge thereof; and a crotch band formed of the same material as the waist band and straight from end to end, said crotch band being of a single thickness over its full length and being substantially twice the width of the folded waist band, the crotch band having one end eX- tended into the space between the thicknesses of the folded waist band, through the open side of the waist band, said end of the crotch band being adhesively secured between the respective folds of the waist band, the other end of the crotch band having a separable connection to the opposite ends of the waist band, said connection when removed separating the ends of the waist band from each other and the second named end of the crotch band from both ends of the waist band at the front of the obstetrical belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,593,940 King July 27, 1926 2,003,654 Polson June 4, 1935 2,272,830 Brody et al. Feb. 10, 1942 2,355,740 McNees Aug. 15, 1944 2,545,224 Butler Mar. 13, 1951 2,745,406 (enner May 15, 1956 

